Hey everyone! I'm back with Chapter 2. I think you'll love this chapter as much as the first chapter. So, let me know what you think of it.
The following morning, Lynda woke up a little bit later than usual. Since Strip had his pit crew taking care of everything for him, she didn't have to focus on making him breakfast, preparing his protein breakfast shake, making sure he was ready to race, and so forth. But, she still had to start cooking for Thanksgiving dinner. It was only just a couple of days away. Glancing at the clock on her night table, Lynda gasped in shock.
"Oh gosh! I slept in late! I'd better start cooking right away." Lynda quickly perked up, the way she normally reacted whenever she thought Strip was involved in a wreck while on the track. She made her way down the ramp to the kitchen, and pulled out a recipe book. This was where she kept all of her favorite recipes. Some of them were passed down from generation to generation in her family, and now it was her turn.
Lynda started off by cooking her great grandmother's turkey roast meal, vegetables cooked along the side of it of course. This meal was an all time favorite of everyone in her family, at least she had been told that. Lynda didn't remember having it much when she was younger, but if she remembered correctly, her grandmother had died shortly after she had started the early years of elementary school. Since then, the meal was never seen again at a family tradition or at a holiday event. But, it was time for a change.
Lynda had to let the roast cook for several hours. During this time, she began to make another family favorite. This time, it was sweet potato casserole. This one had a long history, but not as much as the turkey roast. It had been from her great aunt. Aside from the turkey roast, everyone loved her sweet potato casserole. It was buttery and it had the taste of cotton candy. By the time each family and holiday meal had been done, the casserole was the first one to be finished. Lynda's great aunt always made the best sweet potato casserole ever and Lynda wasn't sure if it would taste the same, but it was worth a shot.
Lynda had finished making the casserole and placed it in the oven to heat up. At that moment, the turkey roast had been done. Lynda began to cut up the vegetables for the roast and heated them on the stove. The vegetables only needed thirty minutes to be done so it wouldn't be long. However, to keep the roast warm, Lynda placed a large piece of tinfoil over the serving dish. Once the vegetables were done, she would take off the tinfoil and arrange the vegetables on each side of the roast, then place the tinfoil back over the completed meal and heat it up early on the day of Thanksgiving.
Lynda heard the timer on the oven go off just as she had finished covering up the turkey roast. She immediately removed the sweet potato casserole from the oven, and placed the oven pan on the counter. She sniffed at the finished product in pleasure.
"Wow. You've done it again Lyn! Your great aunt would be proud of you for making her famous casserole." She smiled, very pleased with the final result. She placed an oven pan cover over it to keep it warm. Of course it would have to be heated up again for Thanksgiving dinner, but at least it was done and ready to serve. Just then, Lynda heard her cell phone rang. Identifying the call from her husband, she quickly answered it.
"Hello?"
"Hey Lyn. It's me. I just wanted to check in and see how you're doing. Did you start cooking yet?"
"Hey. I've been cooking all day actually. I just finished making turkey roast and sweet potato casserole. I only made two dishes and I'm really tired."
"Your great aunt's famous sweet potato casserole again huh?" Strip said, a smile plastered across his face. Lynda smiled and nearly blushed at his compliment. She could tell he really admired her family's recipes, and she was grateful for that, even though he wouldn't be able to taste it at Thanksgiving dinner.
"Yeah. You know it was everyone's favorite. I couldn't resist making it, and it came out so perfect. I just wish you could be here to taste it, but maybe I'll make it for Christmas. But, what about you? How's everything at the track?"
"It's alright. I'm tired though. Everyone just wants to be home for the holidays already, so we're trying to cram as much as we can. Luke just wants to be home with his wife and family and friends, while David wants to be home with his little ones and his new wife. He wants to keep the family together as much as possible following the divorce and he doesn't want it to happen again. But his wife understands that he has to be down here. It's hard, but I'm sure she can handle it."
"Yeah. That's true. Sounds like you've been busy for the first day. But, don't tire yourself out, please. I don't want you to come home and then you don't have the energy and strength to hang out with your family and rest."
"I know Lyn. I know. I'll be alright. I promise. I just want to be with you and everyone else, but my career is taking a toll on it and-"
"Hey. Listen to me. You've been there for your family every single minute. Whether it's during the race season or the off season, you're always able to make time for your loved ones. Even if it's hard, you try. I don't expect you to be a family head every single time of the day. I've helped a lot, and I'm still helping. I knew what I was getting myself into when I agreed to marry you, I even knew it when we started dating. You can't beat yourself up whenever something like this happens. You don't have control over it. You just have to go with it. But I'm confident in you that you'll be home for Christmas and nothing will stop you from making that possible. You're a great husband, and a great family man. I mean it. Strip, I love you. I worry about you. That's what a wife does for her husband when she just cares for him. You know that. I wouldn't be saying that if it wasn't true. Some women just don't understand what it's like being a racer's wife or girlfriend. But I do. And I made a promise to be patient and mild when it came to your career. It's hard, but I knew I could do it. And I did it every single year, and I'm still doing it. But in the end, we always do it together."
Listening to Lynda's warm and loving tone, Strip nodded in agreement. "You're right Lyn. You're right. I guess I just feel I'm putting my family on the back burner and putting my main focus on my career, when I still have a while left after the holidays. I just wish it didn't happen, and that's why I'm cramming everything up so quick. But I know you always mean well whenever you say things like that. No other woman would understand the way you do, and I'm glad for that. I am."
Lynda couldn't help but smile. She loved making Strip feel better. But in the end, that was just a wife's job. To make her husband feel better whenever he feels he isn't doing a good job caring for his family.
"Thanks Lyn. I really needed to hear that. But I'd better go. I'm getting ready for more practice laps. I'll call you when I can. Alright?"
"You're welcome. I'm glad I could help. I love you. Take care."
"I will. Love you too."
Strip and Lynda hung up from the call. Lynda glanced up at the clock and sighed. It felt the day had passed by and she only had two dishes completed. Tomorrow she'd have no choice but to wake up earlier and finish cooking for Thanksgiving dinner. Lynda began to clean up the mess in the kitchen. By the time she finished cleaning up, she was already exhausted and tired then before.
"Maybe a warm bath will make me feel a little better." Lynda thought to herself. Glancing at the clock, she softly sighed. Tomorrow was Thanksgiving, and Lynda still had a couple of dishes to make. Along with preparing the table and plates.
I suppose just a few minutes won't hurt. Then I'll get some sleep.
Lynda headed for the bathroom and dimmed the bathroom lights once she got in. She filled the tub with warm water and began to relax in the water. She placed some battery operated candles on the side of the tub and closed her eyes in comfort. She began to process what would happen the next month, hoping to have Strip by her side to celebrate the rest of the holiday season. She began to remember how the holidays would be for them when they were younger. She remembered their first Christmas together and how she surprised him with a Christmas ornament that symbolized each event they did together. When they had marked 6 months of dating, the following Christmas, Lynda had surprised him with a Christmas ornament, but one that was special to both of them. On the ornament, an engraving, which read 6 months was on it, followed by a small carving of her and Strip underneath the lettering. Lynda had remembered Strip's reaction when she had surprised him with it, and she could still remember it. But, this Christmas, she was already halfway done with her Christmas gift to him and it was going to be more special than any other gift she had given him.
A good forty five minutes had passed before Lynda had finished her dreaming. She opened her eyes and headed to her bedroom. Feeling more relaxed, she settled down on her bed, and fell fast asleep. Thanksgiving was tomorrow, and she would have a busy morning ahead of her.
Hey everyone! I'm so sorry for this chapter being so long, but I'm glad I was able to add some more dynamic to Lynda and Strip in this chapter. I'm so happy the first chapter was a success, so I'm very confident that this chapter will have the same amount of enthusiastic feeling. Anyway I hope you like this chapter and the story so far. And please, feel free to leave a follow and a review for this story. It always makes me feel good and I'm so happy you love my stories.
Also, to those of you who celebrate, I want to wish you all a safe and Happy Thanksgiving. And I'll also try and write the next chapter tomorrow, which will have Lynda celebrating Thanksgiving with her family and friends.